Typographical slug casting machine



Aug. 25, 1936. c. A. ALBRECHT Y TYPOGRAPHICAL SLUG CASTING MACHINE FiledNOV'. 28, 1954 Patented Aug. 25, 1936 PATENT OFFICE TYPO GRAPHICAL SLUGCASTING MACHINE Christian Augustus Albrecht, Berlin, Germany, assignorto Mergenthaler Linotype Company,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application November 28, 1934, Serial No. 755,127 In Germany December.22, 1933 12 Claims.

This invention relates to typographical slug 'casting machines, such asthose known commercially under the registered trade mark Linotype,wherein a composed line of matrices is .clamped between two vice jawsfor presentation .to the casting mechanism. More particularly theinvention relates to mechanism for automatically centering a matrix linerelatively to the casting mold slot :or -quadding a short matrix line toone side or the other of the cast slug, and is an improvement in ormodification of the mechanism described in the speciiication of myapplication '-for Letters Patent Serial No. 711,119, filed 14th`Efebruary 1934.

Such centering and quadding mechanism comlprises a vertically movablerod which operates through a disc or collar, upon studs carried bylevers connected to the adjustable jaws, the said discor collarbeingprovided with gaps which can be positioned, by rotation of thecollar, to actuate either or both of the jaws. When both jaws are`operated 'the line will be centred, when either jaw is operatedindependently the line will be quadded to one sideor the other,;and whenboth jaws are disconnected, the device will be vinoperative. The saidmechanism further Iincludes means for tightening the line clamping jawson to the line after justification, the said means comprising a pawl andratchet wheel with teeth on .aportion only of its periphery adapted toeiect the desired jaw-tightening movement of the jawactuating rod,through a pinion acting on ia rack connected to the rod.

When full lines are cast this device is thrown out of action in order toobtain justification to .expand the line toiull length, andforadaptation to `diierent `full line lengths (which ,are determined bythe set position of ,the adjustable jaw, usually the-left-hand jaw) thepawl for engaging the ratchet wheel is adjustable to diiTerent positionsalong the untoothed portion of the `ratchet .wheel to vary the extent-ofrotation of the ratchet wheel during ljustiiicationbefore its teethcorne into position to bewengaged by the pawl. I f, for example, the.pawl `is adjusted to allow for a 2 .em-,expansion ,during -J'usticationand theline is composed within ,2 ems or less of the yfull line lengththelratchet wheel will not be rotated .sufficiently by the operation ofthe device'in'closing the,jawsfonthe,line to bring its toothedportionfinto positiongtovbe engaged bythe pa-wl,.so that ,the pawl,restinglonthe untoothedportion of the .ratchet wheel, when-.actuatedwill not rotate the ratchet lwheel to clamp-'the jaws on theline and.thefjawswillremain freeto move backto full line position under theexpanding influence of the spacebands; whereas, if the composed line isImore than 2 `ems short .of the full line length vthe ratchet lwheelwill be lrotated sufficiently .during the jaw closing .operationof thedevice to ,bring its toothed-portion into position to be engaged by the.pawl and during justification the actuation .of the pawl will .effectthe rotation .of .the ratchet wheel to clamp the jaws against the linein quadding condition and prevent abnormal justification. `For thevpurpose .of adjusting the pawl Vrelatively v`to ,the 'ratchet wheel,vaccording to the specification of my above mentioned patentapplication, .the pawlis pivotally ,mounted on a .levercapableof beingrocked aboutthe aXiSof the ratchet wheel, so that .the pawl is adapted,respectively, for engagement and vdisengagement withthevteeth onthe'ratchet wheel and iorvbeing adjustedrelatively to .the ratchet.Wheels to anumberof different positions, .bya manually operated lever.

Accordingto .the present invention, ,the adjustment for lines ofdifferent length is .effectedby adjusting the ratchetwheel .instead of`the pawl. In carryingout .the invention, ,a sleeve mounted upon thejaw-.actuating rod is provided with circumferentialribsof racklike formVin profile .with which -the before-mentioned pinion engages, and thesleeve .is -`threaded upon a relatively stationary screw, so that whenthesleeveisrotated by an adjusting lever, it `will be moved axially andthereby the pinion which is located upon the .same ,axis as the ratchetwhee1, will.be turned an amount corresponding to the ,axial movement ofthe sleeve, thereby rotating theratchet wheel.

relatively to the pawl to increaseor diminish the distance betweenthepawl andthe toothed por tion of the ratchet 4wheel.

The accompanying. drawing: illustrates one constructional -form rof theinvention, and lin the said drawing? Figure 1 is v.arfrontelevation.partly in section of-the pertinent parts f the machine;

Figure 2 is a vertical .section vof .a Lportion of Figurel;

Figure 3 .isa horizontal section .taken on .the line 3-3fof Figure .1;

Figurefiis a horizontal section. onthe lineA-fd of Figure l, and

Figure 5 `is a horizontal section on the`line 5 5 of AFigure ,2, onanenlarged scale.

As in the before-mentioned prionarrangement, 2, 3 are the .line-clampingjaws, .Whichmay ,be centred or lmoved towards one another. The

operationofthe.leversand fl is Controlled lima.

rod 33 under the action of springs 4S. According to the invention, asleeve |24 mounted upon the rod 33 is provided externally with acircumferentially ribbed portion, which in section is in the form of arack, so that the pinion 62 may engage therewith and, inthe mannerdescribed in the before-mentioned specification, by means of the pawland ratchet wheel 64, 65 engaged and rotated by a collar Ha on thejustification lever Tl, so actuate the rod 33 that the tight clamping ofthe line will be effected. The object in view is to so adjust theratchet wheel 64 relatively to the pawl S5, that, according to theadjustment made, the path travelled by the ratchet wheel before thetoothed portion is engageable by the pawl, will be varied, theadjustment being so calculated that it will approximately correspond tothe justication capacity of the spacebands normally present in a line ofgiven length, for example, one ern for short lines, two ems for mediumlength lines and three ems for long lines. For this purpose, a controllever |25 is provided which can be adjusted to a number of differentpositions according to a scale |26. rIhe lever, pivoted about thefulcrum |21, is connected at its lower end by means of a link |28 to asliding rack |29 which meshes with teeth |30 on the lower end of thesleeve |24. The rod 33 passes through the sleeve |24. The lower end ofthe sleeve is internally threaded and the threaded portion engages anenlarged threaded portion |3| 'of an inner sleeve I3!2L surrounding therod 33. In order to couple the sleeve |3|a with the rod 33, so as toensure that it will be secure against rotation, a disc |32 (Figures 2and 5) is secured to the rod by a pin |32a and provided with slots inwhich are engaged downwardly directed ngers |33 of the sleeve |3 la, andupwardly directed fingers |34 formed on a sleeve 33' through which thelower part of the rod 33 passes and is anchored by a member 331 fittedin the end of the sleeve and screwed on the end of the rod. The sleeve33a is held against rotation by a feather connection |35 with a fixedbearing |36 through which it passes; while the rod 33, in turn, has afeather connection |31 with the sleeve 33a, and because of the featheron the rod 33 the disk |32 is formed with a notch |38 to permit it topass over the feather during assemblage of the parts. The movement ofthe pawl is eifected by the justification bar 11.

It is pointed out that the rod 33, sleeves 33a, |24 and |3|2- constitutea composite rod which moves as a unit when pulled downwardly by thesprings 43 to close the jaws together, when acted upon by the pinion 32to lock the jaws in their inwardly moved position and when raised again(by the rst elevator) to return the jaws to their full line position. Apair of springs |35 and |06, heavier than the springs 48, allow thesleeves |24 and |3|a to move as a unit a slight extent relatively to therod 33 in the event that the pawl 35 engages very closely and withoutany play on the teeth of the ratchet wheel B4 and the wheel is unable toturn, all as set forth in the application, Serial Number 711,119referred to heretofore. This relative movement of the sleeves ispermitted by the sliding engagement of the fingers |33 on the sleeve ilawith the disk |32.

The mode of operation is as follows:-

Adjustment of the hand lever |25 will, through the link connectiondescribed, actuate the sliding rack |29 and thereby turn the sleeve |24.As the ribs located thereon constitute a rack, this turning and theconsequent axial movement of the sleeve with its ribs in engagement withthe pinion 62, will cause the latter and therewith the shaft 35 of thesaid pinion to turn. Consequently, a corresponding rotation of theratchet wheel 64 will also take place and its adjustment effected in thedesired manner. If the unexpanded length of the composed line presentedbetween the jaws is short of full line length by the amount indicated onthe scale |26 according to the adjustment of the hand lever |25, or alesser' amount, the jaws can only be moved inwardly by the downwardmovement of the rod 33 to an extent equal to the difference between fullline length and the unexpanded length of the composed line. The ratchetwheel 64, therefore, will not be rotated by the downward movement of therod 33 suiciently to bring its ratchet teeth into position to be engagedby the pawl 65. Hence, during justification, the space bands will expandthe line to full length, returning the jaws to their full line position.If, however, the line presented between the clamping jaws is notcomposed to the proper length and the extent of inward movement of thejaws is greater than the amount indicated on the scale |26 according tothe adjustment of the hand lever |25, the ratchet wheel 64 is rotatedclockwise (Fig. 1) by the downward movement of the rod 33 suioiently tobring its teeth into position to be engaged by the pawl E5 and, duringjustication, the pawl 65 will act through the ratchet wheel 64, pinion62 and the rod 33 to lock the jaws in their inwardly moved position andprevent expansion of the spacebands.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent isz- 1. In a typographical slug castingmachine, the

combination with a pair of jaws between which a composed line ofmatrices and spacebands is clamped and a jaw-actuating rod adjustable toclose the jaws on to a composed line, of a toothed sleeve on thejaw-actuating rod, a pinion meshing with said toothed sleeve operable toeffect a supplemental adjustment of the rod to tighten the jaws againsta line after said jaws have been closed thereon, and means operable toadjust the sleeve axially on the rod to vary the angular position of thepinion relatively to a given jaw-closing adjustment of the rod.

2. In a typographical slug casting machine, the combination with a pairof jaws between which a composed line of matrices and spacebands isclamped, a justification lever by which the spacebands are expanded tojustify the line, and a jaw-actuating rod adjustable to close the jawson to a composed line, of a toothed sleeve on the jaw-actuating rod, apinion meshing with said toothed sleeve, a ratchet wheel operativelyfast to the pinion, a pawl co-operating with said ratchet wheel andactuated by the justification lever to turn said ratchet wheel to effecta supplemental adjustment of the rod to tighten the jaws against a lineafter said jaws have been closed thereon, and means operable to adjustthe sleeve axially on the rod to vary the angular position of the pinionrelatively to a given jaw-closing adjustment of the rod.

3 In a typographical slug casting machine, the combination with a pairof jaws between which a composed line of matrices and spacebands isclamped, a justification lever by which the spacebands are expanded tojustify the line and a jawatuating rod adjustable to close the jaws onto a composed line, of a circumferentially ribbed sleeve on thejaw-actuating rod, a pinion meshing with said ribbed sleeve, a ratchetwheel operatively fast to the pinion, a pawl co-operating with saidratchet wheel and actuated by the justication lever to turn said ratchetwheel to eiect'a supplemental adjustment of the rod to tighten the jawsagainst a line after said jaws have been closed thereon, a relativelystationary screw on which said sleeve is threaded, and means adapted toturn said sleeve to effect axial movement thereof relatively to thescrew and j aw-actuating rod.

4. In a typographical slug casting machine, the combination with a pairof jaws between which a composed line of matrices and spacebands isclamped, a justification lever by which the spacebands are expanded tojustify the line, and a jaw-actuating rod adjustable to close the jawson to a composed line, a sleeve on the jawactuating rod having internalthreads, a threaded portion of said rod with which the internal tthreads of the sleeve engage, external circumferential ribs on a portionof said sleeve, external longitudinal ribs on another portion of saidsleeve, a pinion meshing with said circumferential ribs, a ratchet wheeloperatively fast to the pinion, a pawl co-operating with said ratchetwheel and actuated by the justification lever to turn said ratchet wheelto eiect a supplemental adjustment of the rod to tighten the jawsagainst a line after said jaws have been closed thereon., a sliding rackmeshing with the longitudinal ribs on the sleeve, and means adapted toprevent angular movement of the rod.

5. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a pair oi line clampingjaws, means for moving one of the jaws toward a composed line ofmatrices and expansible spacebands, said means including a unitarystructure comprising members capable of relative movement, justifyingmeans for expanding the spacebands, supplemental jaw moving means totighten said jaw against the line, said supplemental means actingthrough the jaw moving means, and means for effecting a relativemovement of said members to adjust the operation of said supplementaljaw moving means.

6. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a pair of line clampingjaws, one movable toward the other for quadding, means for effectingsuch quadding movement of the jaw to move it toward a composed line ofmatrices and expansible spacebands, said means including a unitarystructure comprising members capable of relative movement, justifyingmeans for expanding the spacebands, supplemental jaw moving means totighten said jaw against the line, said supplemental means actingthrough the jaw moving means, and means for eifecting a relativemovement of said members to adjust the operation of said supplementaljaw moving means.

'7. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a pair of lineclamping jaws movable equidistantly toward each other for centering,means for effecting such centering movement of the jaws to close upon acomposed line of matrices and expansible spacebands, said meansincluding a unitary structure comprising members capable of relativemovement, justifying means for expanding the spacebands, supplementaljaw moving means to tighten the jaws against the line, said supplementalmeans acting through the jaw moving means, and means for effecting arelative movement of said members to adjust the operation of saidsupplemental jaw moving means.

8. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a pair of line clampingjaws between which a composed line of matrices and expansible spacebandsis clamped, means for moving the line clamping jaws toward the line,said means including a unitary structure comprising members capable ofrelative movement, means for selectively coupling the line clamping jawsto the jaw moving means for quadding or centering a cornposed line,justifying means for expanding the spacebands, supplemental jaw movingmeans to tighten the jaws against the line, said supplemental mea-nsoperating through the jaw moving means, and means for eifecting arelative movement of said members to adjust the operation of saidsupplemental jaw moving means.

9. A combination as in claim 5, wherein the unitary structure comprisesa rod and sleeve threadedly connected for relative axial movement.

10. A combination as in claim 5, wherein, the unitary structurecomprises a rod and sleeve threadedly connected for relative axialmovement, and wherein the rod is held against rotation and the sleeve isequipped with teeth for rotation by a sliding rack bar.

11. A combination as in claim 5, wherein the unitary structurecomprisesa rod and sleeve threadedly connected for relative axialmovement, and wherein the rod is held against rotation and the sleeve isequipped with teeth for rotation by a sliding rack bar, characterized bythe fact that the extent of relative movement of the rod and sleeve isvaried for lines of different lengths and the supplemental jaw movingmeans is rendered inoperative unless the jaw closing movement of the rodand sleeve exceeds the extent of relative movement of the rod andsleeve.

12. A combination as in claim 5, wherein the unitary structure comprisesa rod and sleeve threadedly connected for relative axial movement, andwherein the jaw moving means acts upon the rod and the supplemental jawmoving means acts upon. the sleeve, the rod and sleeve being actuated asa unit in each instance.

CHRISTIAN AUGUSTUS ALBRECHT.

